The thebest.gr, the largest Media Company in the Western Greece region, is organizing the first major innovative conference on tourism in the area, titled TRAVEL WEST FORUM. The event will take place on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Royal in Patras, with the participation of the Region of Western Greece and the co-organization of the Chamber of Achaia.
Given that Greek tourism is entering a new era, focusing on sustainable and alternative forms beyond the saturated "Sun & Sea" model, and considering that Western Greece, despite having areas of excellence, finds it difficult to follow the country's upward trend in tourism, the conference aims to explore how the broader region could function as a hub for alternative tourism.
LIVE STREAMING
9
sections
36
speakers
SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
FRAMEWORK
The cultural heritage and natural features of the Region of Western Greece (extensive coastline, blue flags, nearby islands, nature), as well as its historical position as a cradle of creation, a stronghold of development, and outward orientation for the country (site of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Olympic Games, etc.), form a mosaic that can serve as the foundation for alternative forms of tourism (such as cultural, maritime, wine tourism, sports, conference, religious, agritourism), offering benefits in terms of extending the tourist season and positioning the region correctly as a new tourist market within the high- spending, alternative international tourist market.
PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE
The purpose of the Conference is to highlight the advantages of the Region of Western Greece (starting with Achaia) in areas related to tourism, as well as to:
a.
Discuss the modern, alternative, mild, sustainable approach to tourism and the new image that the region could project through strong marketing.
b.
Explore the significance of tourism to the Region of Western Greece's economy and business development in tourism-related sectors.
c.
Present good examples for the area's tourism development and new proposals and approaches.
d.
The Travel West Forum aims to serve as an ideal platform for exchanging views among stakeholders and to strengthen the spirit of cooperation.
VIDEOS - GALLERY
Flash Interviews Recap
TWF-Recap Trailer Short
TWF-Recap Trailer Long
TWF-The whole Conference (from live streaming)
SPEAKERS
Items list
Program
10:00
Arrival
10:35
Start
Welcome to the 1st Travel West Forum
Gogo Papadakou, Chief Editor of thebest.gr
10:40
Opening of the Forum
Elena Rapti, Deputy Minister of Tourism
Greetings
George Papandreou, Former Prime Minister, MP of Achaia PASOK
Angela Gerekou, President of the Greek National Tourism Organization
Elena Kountoura, Member of the European Parliament, Former Minister of Tourism
11:00 – 11:20
Opening Speeches
- Aikaterini Tzitzikosta, President of the National Committee of UNESCO
UNESCO: Intangible cultural heritage and the link between culture and tourism
11:25 – 11.45
Western Greece and international tourism trends - Data and prospects
- Nektarios Farmakis, Regional Governor of Western Greece
Destination Western Greece - The tourism product and target markets - Tourism development in the region as a tool for its overall development - Platonas Marlafekas, President of the Chamber of Achaia
Entrepreneurship and tourism - Infrastructure, services, tourism promotion, economic figures, and cooperation among agencies
11:55 – 12.25
Sports Tourism as a privileged sector of tourism development
- Maria Polyzou, Olympians, Advisor to the Minister of Sports, Former Member of Parliament
Sports as a means of promoting Greece to the world - How a major sports event can become a global attraction - Vasilis Tountopoulos, CEO of MPDO, sports tourism entrepreneur & founder of Olympassmark
Western Greece as a venue for major sports events. What it takes to make a successful bid - Petros Synadinos, Member of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Head of the Greek Olympic Mission Paris 2024
The development of sports tourism and its role in enhancing economic and social growth - The potential of Western Greece
12:30 - 13:05
Infrastructure, sustainability, and hospitality
- Alexandros Aggelopoulos, CEO of Aldemar Resorts
Creating hotel destinations - Infrastructure and human resources - Panos Loukas,, CEO of Gefyra S.A.
Rio-Antirrio Bridge: Contributing to sustainable development & tourism - Nikos Trikourakis, Head of Hospitality at DIMAND S.A.
Creating landmarks of the future - Development and upgrading of properties as a tourism arm - The green, bioclimatic, and sustainable era in hospitality
13:10 - 13:45
Architecture, Culture, and Tourism
- Panos Dragounas, Architect, Professor of Architectural and Urban Design at the University of Patras
New architectural narratives for tourism - Ebi Spathi, Architect-Engineer, Interior Designer
Interior Design and Greek Identity - Georgia Manolopoulou, Museologist, PhD Candidate in Cultural Diplomacy
Museums and sustainable development - Designing a holistic strategy
13:50 - 14:40
Break
15:00 – 15.35
Development from the sea and the blue economy - Patras and its waterfront, the next day
- Christina Alexopoulou, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure & Transport
Infrastructure and road axes as a lever for tourism development in Western Greece - The role of "green" transportation - Giannis Pappas, Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy
Utilization of coastal fronts, port infrastructure, and maritime tourism. Development prospects and impact on the local economy - Panagiotis Anastasopoulos, CEO of the Patras Port Authority
The geostrategic position of Patras and the plan of the Port Authority for maritime tourism - The Mega Yacht Marina, cruises, and the expected benefits - Eleni Parashi, PhD in Business Organization and Management, Aviation Travel Industry
The Patras Water Airport - The role of seaplanes in expanding the tourism market - Giannis Kostopoulos, Founder and CEO of SaMMY
Maritime tourism and the digital transformation of the sector. Smart management of marinas and tourist ports
15:40 – 16:20
Thematic tourism / Geological monuments / Conference / Religious / Agritourism
- Ira Sinigalia, Journalist, Chief Editor of "ready2board"
When Generation X met Olympia: How new travel trends connect with Western Greece - Nikolaos Zouros, Professor of Geography at the University of the Aegean / Director of the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest / President of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network
UNESCO: The Global Geoparks Program - Apostolos Rafailidis, Economist, Associate Professor / President of the Department of Tourism Management at the University of Patras
Conference Tourism and the Region of Western Greece - Maria Argyropoulou, EDI Department of Tourism Management at the University of Patras
The Journey to the Divine as a Tourism Resource - Andreas Filias, Deputy Regional Governor for Agricultural Development of the Region of Western Greece
Agritourism & products of the Greek land
16:25 - 17:00
Wine Tourism and Gastronomy
- Angelos Roubalis, Winemaker, President of the Wine Quality Network "Oinoxenia"
Opening speech on Wine Tourism - Andriana Foi, Founder of "The Wine Connoisseurs"
An Unexpected Revelation: A Wine & Food Adventure Beyond the Ordinary - Tasos Drosiadis,, Vice President of the Wine Quality Network "Oinoxenia"
Place marketing through alternative forms of tourism and outreach activities. The case of the Wine Quality Network "Oinoxenia"
17:05 - 17:30
Urban Tourism & City Branding
- Evi Chatzopoulou, Assistant Professor of Marketing / Department of Tourism Management at the University of Patras
The image of destinations through identity and branding - Giannis Nikas, Assistant Professor / Department of Tourism Management at the University of Patras
Urban tourism in Patras – Points and areas of interest
17:35 - 18:00
Hospitality
- Stratos Mavralexakis, General Manager of Grecotel Riviera Olympia & Aqua Park
Luxury Hotels & Resorts as a pillar of tourism development and the new Greek model of family vacations - Christos Kanellis, Vice President of the Achaia Hotel Association
The potential of Achaia as a sustainable tourism destination
18:05 - 18:45
Patras Carnival
- Aristos Stathopoulos, President of the Carnival Academy
Patras Carnival and Tourism Development - Dimitris Fakalos, Catering and Event Businessman / Carnivalist
The Patras Carnival from the inside – Good examples from the privately organized Carnival - Tasos Giatras, President of SKEANA
Carnival and Catering: Current situation and necessary interventions - How the benefits from the city's largest institution could be maximized.
18:50
End of Conference
Moderators: Giota Kontogeorgopoulou, Nikos Giaprakis, Pepi Spiliotopoulou
ORGANIZERS
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